Time for OO to oversee LSUC


Adam Smith wrote a long time ago that when two or more people in the same business get together for any purpose, golf etc. the conversation will automatically turn to how the "rent" can be increased. Nowhere more so than the "self-governing" crooks of our society.

Lawyer Carrie-Lynn Barkley “misappropriated” more than $83,000 of trust monies held on behalf of several clients, including a couple in their mid 80s.

Like many lawyers disciplined by the Law Society, Barkley treated her trust account like her personal piggy bank, dipping in to funds held for client estates or real estate deals for unnamed “fees” or to pay rent.

In an agreed statement of facts tendered at her law society discipline hearing, Barkley acknowledged she failed to deposit retainers, used monies from one client to pay expenses for another, failed to keep records, bounced cheques, and “failed to perform legal services to the standards of a competent lawyer.”

Barkley, a Queen’s University law school grad who was called to the bar in 2000, also wrote numerous cheques to herself under the guise of “fees” and “disbursements.”

Evidence presented at her hearing showed her to be a cocaine addict.

In the end, the law society suspended Barkley’s licence to practice law for one year.

Barkley faced charges of theft under $5,000 and possession of stolen property under $5,000, but those charges were withdrawn in 2009

One year suspension?  She should have been charged convicted and spent time incarcerated. Then prevented from practicing law for life.

It is time for the Ontario Ombudsman to provide oversight of all self-regulated bodies as they do in other civilized developed nations like Britain and Australia.

 

 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

When is a fraud a fraud? The Marshall Sone expulsion

Marshall Bryan Sone: Summary, as Published in CheckMark Marshall Bryan Sone , of North York, was found guilty of a charge under Rule 201.1 of failing to maintain the good reputation of the profession and its ability to serve the public interest, arising out of his criminal conviction for fraud. While a trustee in bankruptcy of monies for the benefit of creditors of the bankruptcy estates administered by him, Mr. Sone, with intent to defraud and in contravention of his trust, converted monies to a use not authorized by the trust, contrary to the Criminal Code. He was fined $15,000 and expelled from the Institute. Mr. Sone’s appeal of the discipline committee’s decision and order was dismissed by the appeal committee. CHARGE(S) LAID re Marshall Bryan Sone The Professional Conduct Committee hereby makes the following charges against Marshall Sone, CA, a member of the Institute: 1 THAT, the said Marshall Sone, on or about May 25, 1998, failed to conduct ...
Read more

CRA investigations result in 53.5 years of jail sentences

Tax fraud and evasion represent the most flagrant instances of non-compliance with tax statutes. During 2012-2013, 71 income tax and GST/HST investigations were referred to the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) for prosecution, compared to 120 cases in the previous year. As a result of referrals to the PPSC (current and previous years), 128 cases resulted in convictions for tax evasion or fraud in 2012-2013. The courts imposed $9.95 million in fines and 53.5 years of jail sentences. These convictions related to revenue loss of $32.6 million. The CRA obtained convictions in 96% of cases prosecuted. In addition, the Ministère du Revenu du Québec, acting on our behalf, referred 27 GST investigation cases for prosecution and, based on these and previous year referrals, Quebec courts convicted individuals and businesses in 58 cases, and imposed $3.1 million in fines. Quebec GST convictions related to revenue loss of $4.4 million. Court convictions are publicized in local,...
Read more

Penalty for Tax Evasion in Canada

Penalty for Tax Evasion in Canada Most people file their annual return honestly and only take deductions and credits made available by the Income Tax Act. Unfortunately, some individuals and businesses evade taxes, and there are legal consequences for such actions. Anurag Gupta, a Toronto business and tax lawyer with the law firm of Anurag Gupta Professional Corporation, says that evaders may face criminal penalties including jail time and fines up to "200 percent of the amount" that the offender may have been trying to avoid. Ignoring the Law Tax evasion occurs when an individual or business ignores tax laws to avoid paying taxes. The Canada Revenue Agency explains that evaders may report less income than they actually earn or state that their deduction amounts are higher than allowed. If a person earns income not documented by an employer, such as cash or self-employment income, and does not report that income to the CRA on his return, he is committing tax ev...
Read more